Supplemental magazine holder for a firearm

ABSTRACT

The supplemental magazine holder for a firearm is quickly and easily installed upon and removed from a handgun or other firearm, and temporarily and removably holds an extra ammunition magazine at the ready for rapid replacement in the firearm as needed. The magazine holder is longitudinally symmetrical to provide for its reversal for installation with the magazine holder sleeve disposed to either side of the weapon, as desired. The attachment bracket portion may be configured to attach to a conventional accessory attachment rail, e.g., Picatinny rail or the like, or to clamp to the frame of the weapon as required. An additional embodiment is laterally symmetrical with a magazine holder sleeve extending to each side of the attachment bracket.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates generally to the field of firearms, and particularly to a supplemental magazine holder for a firearm that provides a removable bracket or attachment for temporarily and removably securing an additional or supplemental ammunition magazine to the firearm, particularly a semiautomatic handgun.

2. Description of the Related Art

Semiautomatic and automatic firearms, particularly hand held firearms and handguns, are conventionally equipped with a magazine or “clip” capable of holding anywhere from perhaps a half dozen to on the order of thirty or so rounds of ammunition. Oftentimes this may not be sufficient for the operation at hand, and the shooter must remove the depleted magazine and install a full magazine in the weapon. While this is not a particularly difficult or bothersome task during casual target shooting, such magazine replacement can become critical in a combat or police enforcement situation when split seconds may be critical and may even make the difference between life and death for those involved.

Accordingly, a number of devices and aids have been developed to facilitate the rapid exchange of ammunition magazines in a firearm, as well as to provide for the attachment of various other devices (laser and infrared aiming devices, scopes, lights, etc.) to the firearm. Most such attachments for devices other than ammunition magazines are not adapted for the rapid removal of the accessory from the attachment, as there is no need for such rapid removal in the case of an aiming device or light. An example of such may be found in European Patent Publication No. 082,257, published on Jun. 29, 1983. This publication describes (according to the drawings and English abstract) a device for fastening an accessory such as an optical accessory to the barrel of the firearm. The device is threaded onto a cooperating externally threaded portion of the barrel, and locked in place by clamping screws.

Other accessories or attachments are more specifically configured for securing an ammunition magazine to the weapon for rapid access thereto. An example of such may be seen in Belgian Patent Publication No. 897,743, published on Jan. 2, 1984. The drawings of this publication appear to show a supplemental magazine holder that secures around the base of the magazine well of an M16 rifle, with the magazine holder per se comprising a relatively thin open clip extending to the side of the rifle attachment component. No English abstract is available for this reference.

Another description of a reserve magazine retainer is found in the English abstract of German Patent Publication No. 20/2005/017,240 published on Feb. 2, 2006, which describes a retainer having a reserve magazine supported in a trough rotatable vertically through 90°, with a magazine shoe or rubber foot hinged forwardly to the retainer. No drawings are available for this reference.

None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed. Thus, a supplemental magazine holder for a firearm solving the aforementioned problems is desired.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The supplemental magazine holder for a firearm comprises various bracket configurations that secure removably to a firearm and removably secure at least one ammunition magazine to the firearm to facilitate the rapid exchange of a depleted magazine for a full one. Each of the embodiments includes at least one resilient magazine holding sleeve having one split side, with an adjustable clamp bolt installed in the split side to adjust the clamping pressure on the magazine placed therein. The magazine holding sleeve(s) is/are mechanically attached (e.g., bolts, etc.) to a bracket that in turn installs removably on the firearm.

At least one mounting bracket embodiment includes a channel therein, with the channel sliding removably onto a conventional accessory mounting rail (e.g., Picatinny rail, etc.) installed on the firearm. Alternatively, the mounting bracket may comprise a clamp that attaches removably to the frame of the firearm. In the most preferred embodiments these firearm mounting brackets provide for the attachment of a single magazine holding sleeve thereto, but the brackets may alternatively be laterally symmetrical and provide for the attachment of two opposed magazine sleeves thereto.

Each of the embodiments is preferably formed of a high density, resilient plastic material, e.g., Nylon, etc., to provide suitable combinations of resilience and durability. Each of the embodiments is longitudinally symmetrical, i.e., symmetrical end-to-end parallel to the major axis of the barrel of the weapon when the device is installed thereon. This permits the single magazine holder embodiment to be reversed end-to-end for installation with the magazine holder sleeve extending to either side of the weapon, as desired.

These and other features of the present invention will become readily apparent upon further review of the following specification and drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a supplemental magazine holder for a firearm according to the present invention, showing its installation upon the accessory rail of a handgun.

FIG. 2 is a detailed exploded perspective view of the supplemental magazine holder of FIG. 1, showing the assembly of its components.

FIG. 3 is an exploded environmental side elevation view of the forward portion of a shoulder fired firearm with an accessory rail, showing the removable attachment of the supplemental magazine holder of FIG. 1 thereto.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of a supplemental magazine holder for a firearm according to the present invention having lateral symmetry, with a magazine holding sleeve on each side thereof.

FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of another alternative embodiment of a supplemental magazine holder for a firearm according to the present invention having a clamp attachment to the firearm.

FIG. 6 is an exploded end elevation view of the supplemental magazine holder of FIG. 5, showing further details thereof.

Similar reference characters denote corresponding features consistently throughout the attached drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The supplemental magazine holder for a firearm has various embodiments adapted to attach removably to the firearm and to hold a spare magazine therein for rapid access by the shooter as required. FIGS. 1 through 3 illustrate a first embodiment of the magazine holder 10 showing its attachment to various types of firearms and details of its construction.

The magazine holder 10 includes a longitudinally symmetrical weapon attachment bracket 12 structured for removable attachment to the firearm. The bracket 12 further includes a longitudinal channel 14 formed therethrough, defined by opposite first and second walls 16 a and 16 b. Each of the walls includes a longitudinal groove, respectively 18 a and 18 b, formed therein, with the channel 14, walls 16 a, 16 b, and their grooves 18 a, 18 b configured to fit closely about a conventional firearm accessory attachment rail R, e.g., a Picatinny rail or other attachment rail as known in the art. The bracket 12 is preferably formed of a relatively hard and dense but resilient plastic material that frictionally engages the rail R to remain in place without need for additional fastening means, but which may be readily removed as desired by sliding the bracket 12 from the rail R.

A magazine holder attachment lug 20 extends from below the channel 14, with the lug 20 having a fastener passage 22 formed laterally therethrough. A longitudinally symmetrical magazine holder sleeve 24 includes a bracket attachment boss 26 extending laterally therefrom, with the boss 26 having a threaded passage 28 (shown in broken lines in FIG. 2) formed therein for the installation of an assembly bolt 30 (FIG. 2) or the like therein. The magazine holder sleeve 24 extends laterally to one side of the weapon attachment bracket 12 when the bracket 12 and sleeve 24 are assembled together, generally as shown in FIG. 1 of the drawings.

The magazine holder sleeve 24 further includes a longitudinal passage 32 therethrough, with a longitudinally disposed slot 34 extending the length of the sleeve. The slot 34 defines mutually opposed first and second sleeve sides, respectively 36 a and 36 b, which serve to grip a firearm magazine M resiliently therein. The magazine holder sleeve 24 is preferably formed of material identical to or at least similar to that used to form the weapon attachment bracket 12, i.e., a relatively hard and dense plastic to provide the desired durability and yet allow sufficient flexibility to grip the magazine M resiliently therein for ease of insertion and removal thereof. The slot 34 allows the two magazine sleeve sides 36 a, 36 b to flex apart slightly relative to one another, with their resilience serving to grip the sides of the magazine M therebetween. A pinch bolt 38 may be installed through an unthreaded passage 40 a in the base of the sleeve 24 to thread into a threaded passage 40 b to the opposite side of the slot 34. The bolt 38 may thus be tightened to close the two sleeve sides 36 a, 36 b together as desired, thus adjusting the lateral grip thereof on the magazine M placed within the sleeve.

The supplemental magazine holder 10 is particularly well suited for installation on and use with a semiautomatic handgun H, e.g. the handgun H illustrated in FIG. 1. However, accessory attachment rails R are commonly installed to the barrel B or other forwardly disposed structure S adjacent the barrel B on other firearms such as the M-16 rifle A illustrated in FIG. 3 of the drawings. The magazine holder 10 may be readily installed and used with any practicable type or configuration of firearm having a barrel B and/or other forwardly disposed structure S adjacent the barrel B with a suitable accessory attachment rail R installed thereon, and/or provided in combination with such weapons, e.g., the handgun H of FIG. 1 or the rifle A of FIG. 3. Moreover, it will be seen that the longitudinal symmetry of the magazine holder 10 permits it to be reversed end-to-end, thus placing the magazine holder sleeve 24 to the side opposite that shown in FIGS. 1 through 3. This may be more desirable for a shooter using the opposite hand as the primary hand when shooting.

FIG. 4 illustrates an alternative embodiment to the supplemental magazine holder 10 of FIGS. 1 through 3, with the magazine holder of FIG. 4 being designated as double magazine holder 110. Components essentially identical to those of the magazine holder 10 of FIGS. 1 through 3 are designated by identical reference numerals in the double magazine holder 110 of FIG. 4. The double magazine holder 110 includes a weapon attachment bracket 12 essentially identical to the bracket 12 of the holder 10 illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 3. This bracket 12 is laterally symmetrical as well as longitudinally symmetrical, thus allowing a magazine holder sleeve 124 to be attached to either or both of the opposite parallel sides 42 a and 42 b thereof, generally as shown in FIG. 4.

The two magazine holder sleeves 124 differ from the sleeve 24 of FIGS. 1 through 3 only in that they include an unthreaded lateral passage (not shown in FIG. 4, but similar to the unthreaded passage 40 a shown in the sleeve 24 of FIG. 3) that extends completely through the base of each sleeve 124 and the unthreaded passage 22 (as in FIG. 2) of the attachment bracket 12. The single pinch bolt 138 may be provided with sufficient length to pass completely through the passages, with a conventional threaded nut (not shown) used to secure the end of the bolt 138 opposite its illustrated head. Additional resilient members (not shown), e.g., conventional O-rings, grommets, etc., may be installed about the pinch bolt 138 within the slots 34, to allow the bolt 138 to be tightened securely without undue clamping together of the two side walls of each magazine holder 124. Alternatively, the central weapon attachment bracket and the two symmetrically opposed magazine holder sleeves may be manufactured as a single, monolithic component, with a pinch bolt installed in each side thereof for the grip adjustment of the magazine holder side walls.

It will be seen that as the two magazine attachment faces 42 a and 42 b of the weapon attachment bracket lug 20 are parallel to one another, the two magazine holder sleeves 124 are also parallel to one another. As each of the sleeves 124 is longitudinally symmetrical, the reversal of one of the sleeves 124 from front to rear results in a mirror image orientation for the two sleeves of the assembly 110 of FIG. 4. This, when combined with the laterally symmetrical and centrally disposed weapon attachment bracket 12, results in the dual magazine holder 110 assembly having lateral symmetry as well. The dual magazine holder 110 of FIG. 4 is somewhat more cumbersome than the single magazine holder 10 of FIGS. 1 through 3, but the doubling of the capacity of the device in comparison to the holder of FIGS. 1 through 3 may be advantageous in some circumstances.

FIGS. 5 and 6 provide illustrations of yet another embodiment of the supplemental magazine holder, designated as magazine holder 210. The magazine holder 210 is configured for attachment to a firearm F lacking the conventional accessory attachment rail, and may be removably attached directly to the forward structure S of the firearm F adjacent the barrel B thereof. The magazine holder 210 includes a weapon attachment bracket 212 having a longitudinal channel 214 disposed therethrough. Opposite first and second walls, respectively 216 a and 216 b, extend upwardly to each side to define the channel 214 therebetween. The first channel wall 216 a includes at least one, and preferably two, threaded fastener passages 222 a formed therethrough. A corresponding number of clamping bolts 44 are threaded through the fastener passage(s) 222 a.

The first channel wall 216 a preferably includes a shim receptacle 46 formed in the inner surface thereof, i.e., facing the channel 214, with a shim or pad 48 being placed therein. The clamping bolt(s) 44 thus bear(s) against the shim or pad 48 when the magazine holder 210 is installed on the firearm F, rather than directly against the structure S of the firearm F, with the shim or pad 48 evenly distributing the pressure of the clamping bolt(s) 44. This precludes marring the surface of the structure S when the weapon attachment bracket 212 is installed thereon.

The magazine holder sleeve 24 is essentially identical to the sleeve 24 illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 3 and discussed in detail further above. The sleeve 24 attaches to the second side of the magazine holder lug 220 of the weapon attachment bracket 212 by means of an assembly bolt 30 installed through the unthreaded passage 222 b of the bracket 212 and threaded passage 28 of the sleeve 24 (FIG. 6), essentially the same as the means for attaching the magazine holder 20 to the bracket 12 described further above for the embodiment of FIGS. 1 through 3. A pinch bolt 38 installs through the unthreaded passage 40 a and into the threaded passage 40 b in the bottom of the sleeve 24 to adjust the spacing of the two opposite sleeve walls and pressure on a magazine M placed therein, just as in the case of the first embodiment of FIGS. 1 through 3.

The various embodiments of the supplemental magazine holder for firearms may be removably secured and used with any practicable firearm configuration, e.g., the semiautomatic handgun H or rifle A illustrated in the drawings or, alternatively, with other types of weaponry as well. The embodiments providing for attachment of the magazine holder to the accessory attachment rail of a firearm are particularly useful, but other attachment means may be provided as well. While the single sleeve magazine holder embodiments are preferred, it will be seen that any of the embodiments herein may be configured as either single or dual magazine holders, if so desired.

It is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, but encompasses any and all embodiments within the scope of the following claims. 

1. A supplemental magazine holder for a firearm, comprising: a longitudinally symmetrical weapon attachment bracket; a channel disposed within the weapon attachment bracket, the channel being adapted for the removable attachment of the weapon attachment bracket to a firearm; a magazine holder attachment lug extending from the weapon attachment bracket; and at least one longitudinally symmetrical magazine holder sleeve attached to the magazine holder attachment lug of the weapon attachment bracket and extending laterally therefrom.
 2. The supplemental magazine holder for a firearm according to claim 1, wherein a firearm has at least a barrel and a forwardly disposed structure adjacent the barrel, the channel of the weapon attachment bracket being adapted for removable attachment to the forwardly disposed structure of the firearm.
 3. The supplemental magazine holder for a firearm according to claim 2, wherein the firearm is a handgun.
 4. The supplemental magazine holder for a firearm according to claim 2, wherein the firearm is a rifle.
 5. The supplemental magazine holder for a firearm according to claim 1, wherein the channel of the weapon attachment bracket has mutually opposed first and second walls, each of the walls having a longitudinal groove disposed therein, the grooves being adapted to fit closely about a firearm accessory attachment rail.
 6. The supplemental magazine holder for a firearm according to claim 5, wherein the weapon attachment bracket is formed of a resilient material adapted to fit frictionally about the firearm accessory attachment rail and selectively retain the weapon attachment bracket thereon.
 7. The supplemental magazine holder for a firearm according to claim 1, wherein the channel of the weapon attachment bracket has mutually opposed first and second walls, at least one of the walls having at least one threaded attachment passage disposed therethrough, the magazine holder further comprising a threaded fastener adjustably disposed within the threaded attachment passage of the channel wall.
 8. The supplemental magazine holder for a firearm according to claim 7, further including a shim disposed within the channel adjacent the threaded attachment passage of the channel wall, the threaded fastener selectively bearing against the shim.
 9. The supplemental magazine holder for a firearm according to claim 1, wherein the magazine holder sleeve is formed of a resilient material, the magazine holder sleeve having a longitudinally disposed slot therein, the slot defining mutually opposed first and second sleeve sides, the sleeve sides being adapted for resiliently bearing upon a magazine removably disposed therein and selectively retaining the magazine therein.
 10. The supplemental magazine holder for a firearm according to claim 1, wherein: the magazine holder attachment lug has mutually opposed and parallel first and second sides; and said at least one magazine holder sleeve comprises: a first magazine holder sleeve attached to the first side of the magazine holder attachment lug; and a second magazine holder sleeve attached to the second side of the magazine holder attachment lug and parallel to the first magazine holder sleeve, the weapon attachment bracket, first magazine holder sleeve, and second magazine holder sleeve forming a laterally symmetrical assembly.
 11. A supplemental magazine holder for a firearm and a firearm, comprising in combination: a firearm having a barrel and forwardly disposed structure adjacent the barrel; a longitudinally symmetrical weapon attachment bracket; a channel disposed within the weapon attachment bracket, the channel being adapted for the removable attachment of the weapon attachment bracket to a firearm; a magazine holder attachment lug extending from the weapon attachment bracket; and at least one longitudinally symmetrical magazine holder sleeve attached to the magazine holder attachment lug of the weapon attachment bracket, and extending laterally therefrom.
 12. The supplemental magazine holder for a firearm and firearm combination according to claim 11, wherein the firearm is a handgun.
 13. The supplemental magazine holder for a firearm and firearm combination according to claim 11, wherein the firearm is a rifle.
 14. The supplemental magazine holder for a firearm and firearm combination according to claim 11, further comprising: a firearm accessory attachment rail disposed longitudinally along the forwardly disposed structure of the firearm; the channel of the weapon attachment bracket further including mutually opposed first and second walls; and each of the walls having a longitudinal groove disposed therein, the grooves adapted to fit closely about the firearm accessory attachment rail.
 15. The supplemental magazine holder for a firearm and firearm combination according to claim 14, wherein at least the weapon attachment bracket is formed of a resilient material adapted to fit frictionally about the firearm accessory attachment rail and selectively retain the weapon attachment bracket thereon.
 16. The supplemental magazine holder for a firearm and firearm combination according to claim 11, further comprising: the channel of the weapon attachment bracket further including mutually opposed first and second walls; at least one of the walls having at least one threaded attachment passage disposed therethrough; and a threaded fastener adjustably disposed within the threaded attachment passage of the channel wall, the threaded fastener selectively bearing against the forwardly disposed structure of the firearm.
 17. The supplemental magazine holder for a firearm and firearm combination according to claim 16, further including a shim disposed within the channel and adjacent the threaded attachment passage of the channel wall, the threaded fastener selectively bearing against the shim and selectively urging the shim against the forwardly disposed structure of the firearm.
 18. The supplemental magazine holder for a firearm and firearm combination according to claim 11, wherein the magazine holder sleeve is formed of a resilient material, the magazine holder sleeve further including a longitudinally disposed slot therein, the slot defining mutually opposed first and second sleeve sides, the sleeve sides resiliently bearing upon a magazine removably disposed therein and selectively retaining the magazine therein.
 19. The supplemental magazine holder for a firearm and firearm combination according to claim 11, further including: the magazine holder attachment lug having mutually opposed and parallel first and second sides; a first magazine holder sleeve attached to the first side of the magazine holder attachment lug; and a second magazine holder sleeve attached to the second side of the magazine holder attachment lug and parallel to the first magazine holder sleeve, the weapon attachment bracket, first magazine holder sleeve, and second magazine holder sleeve forming a laterally symmetrical assembly. 